The present invention relates to computer systems, and more particularly to a method and system for allowing media, such as live or streaming media, to be played in real-time on a computer system without requiring the computer system to have additional software or plug-ins.
Currently, many conventional systems are available for allowing media content, such as audio or video, to be delivered to web clients over the Internet or a local area network (LAN). The web clients are typically computer systems that are equipped with a virtual machine, typically incorporated into a conventional browser. Web clients might, for example, include a cell phone, personal digital assistant (PDA), Web pad, personal computer, workstation or other device that can connect to the LAN or Internet. Conventional virtual machines in browsers are typically JAVA(trademark) virtual machines. Conventional browsers are used for many functions and are capable of playing certain types of content. For example, conventional browsers are typically capable of receiving, decompressing and displaying, or playing, JPEG image. Conventional browsers are also capable of using GIF file formats. Thus, conventional browsers are typically capable of playing certain types of audio and static image data.
Conventional systems exist for allowing conventional browsers to play other types of media content, such as real-time audio or video, from the web. There are conventional systems that provide conventional streaming audio or video in real-time. For example, Real Audio and Real Video from Real Networks allows streaming audio or video to be played in real-time on a browser. Streaming video or audio is a mechanism that allows real-time audio or video to be captured, compressed, delivered to a web client via a LAN or the Internet, decompressed and displayed, or played, by the web client. In order to allow streaming video/audio to be provided on the web client, software or plug-ins must be installed for the browser. For example, Real Audio or Real Video can be downloaded and installed by a user. Using Real Audio or Real Video, a conventional browser can play audio or video provided via the Internet or LAN in real-time. The user must, therefore, agree to have the software or plug-in downloaded to the web client and install the software or plug-in so that it can be used with the browser.
Although software or plug-ins allow streaming of video or audio on a conventional browser, one of ordinary skill in the art will readily realize that it would be desirable to provide video or audio in real time on a conventional browser without requiring the installation of software or plug-ins. This functionality would allow a user of the web client to be able to play video and audio provided via the Internet or LAN without expending the time or additional resources required to install and store the additional software of plug-ins. However, as discussed above, a conventional browser is capable of playing only certain types of content, such as static JPEG images. Consequently, without the installed software or plug-ins, a conventional browser cannot stream video/audio in real-time.
Accordingly, what is needed is a system and method for playing media content from a network or the Internet in real-time, for example by streaming audio or video or playing live video or audio. The present invention addresses such a need.
The present invention provides a method and system for providing media content in real-time on a web client. The web client includes a browser utilizing a cache. The media content can be separated into a plurality of sections. The browser of the web client can read and display a section of the media content without additional software or plug-ins. In one aspect, the method and system comprise ensuring that the web client can flush the cache to allow the media content to be played in real-time, preferably in response to the web client requesting the media content. In this aspect, the method and system also comprise providing the plurality of sections of the media content to the web client section by section and allowing the web client to flush the section of the media content from the cache once each of the plurality of section has been displayed by the browser. In a second aspect, the method and system comprise requesting the media content using the web client and ensuring that the web client can flush the cache to allow the media content to be played in real-time. In this aspect, the method and system also comprise receiving each of the plurality of sections of the media content on the web client section by section, displaying each of the plurality of sections section by section and flushing each section of the media content from the cache once each of the plurality of sections has been displayed.
According to the system and method disclosed herein, the present invention provides a web client with the ability play audio or video in real-time without requiring additional software or plug-ins.